Expanded English Edition: This richly updated volume brings Kharkiv's intricate past (from the 17th century to post Euromaidan transformations) to an international audience, filling a major gap in English-language scholarship. Historically Timely & Politically Resonant: Positioned at the crossroads of Ukrainian Russian relations, the city's contested identity unfolds through chapters on nationhood, regionalism, and borderland myth-making. It offers readers keen insight into current geopolitical tensions. Authoritative & Praised: Authored by Volodymyr Kravchenko, Professor of History at the University of Alberta and Director of the Contemporary Ukraine Studies Program, this edition is praised by Harvard's Serhii Plokhii for its "authority, depth and nuance" in chronicling a region often overlooked.